Attachment for firearms



Mi Mi ,Zkaenfor: Iozylwa wezrnare,

- Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

D. WETMOREJ,

ATTACHMENT FOR FIREARMS. I

APPLICATION mm JULY 26.192l.

t. in

UNITED STATES DOUGLAS WETMORE, 0F PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA.

PATENT OFFICE.

ATTACHMENT FOR FIREARMS.

Application filed July 26, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS WETMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Firearms, of which the following is a specifieation.

The present invention relates to improvements in attachments for firearms, particularly of that type or class which are intended to illuminate a definite area so that the weapon may be accurately aimed at a particular object in the dark.

The invention is especially designed for use with revolvers, and such an embodiment of it is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The particular object of the present improvements is to provide means by which the user of a revolver, to which the improvements are applied, will, during the act of aiming, be enabled, first, to illuminate a considerable area, and then to cause the beams of light to be gradually contracted or focused on a particular portion of such area.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a revolver having one embodiment of the present invention applied thereto.

Fig- 2 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view.

In said drawings, 1 designates a revolver upon the barrel 2 of which is supported a casing 3 including an electric lamp bulb 4 and adapted to contain a dry cell or battery, as is common in appliances of this character.

To the forward end of the casing 3 is telescopically fitted a lens holder 5, and means are provided whereby such holder may be moved longitudinally of the casing to vary the distance between the bulb 4.- and lens 6 for a purpose to be hereinafter more particularly described.

The casing 3 may be mounted upon the barrel 2' by any suitable means, but, as shown, it is supported by means of spring clips 7 which engage the barrel, and the lens holder 5 is provided with generally, similar clips 8. The clips 7 are firmly connected to a split ring 9 which is clamped about the casing 3, the sections thereof being united by a bolt 10.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 487,700.

The circuit, including the cell within the casing 3 and the lamp b-ub 4, is controlled by a resilient switch arm 11 that is carried by a cap fitted to the rear end of the casing 3, and is adapted to contact, for the purpose of completing the circuit, with a metal plate in the grip 1 of the revolver when the latter is grasped by the user. The rear face of the switch arm 11 is preferably covered by a strip of insulating material 11.

The cap 12, by which the switch arm 11 is mounted on the casing 3, provides means by which said arm may be turned laterally, or into the position represented by dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that when the parts of the revolver are in position for loading or unloading, the switch arm will not obstruct or interfere with free access to any of the chambers 13 of the revolver.

Rods 14 connected at their forward ends to the lens holder 5 extend rearwardly to suitable guides formed within studs 15 that project laterally from the split ring 9 which supports the holding clip 7. About each of said rods is fitted a coiled spring 16, one end of which is attached, as at 17 to the rod, while the other end bears against the guide or stud 15 so that said springs act constantly to hold the lens holder in its forward position or to move it towards such position. Adjustable nuts or collars 18, on the rear end of the rods 14, act to limit the forward movement of the lens holder under the action of the springs 16.

Means are provided whereby the lens holder 5 and lens 6 may be moved rearward against the action of the springs 16 so that the area illuminated by the lamp will be increased. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, such rearward movement of the lens holder is effected by'rods 2021 which are respectively connected to opposite sides of the holder and extend downwardly and rearwardly to a position adjacent the trigger 1 of the revolver. At their rear ends said rods are connected to a ring or loop 22 which is positioned in such relation to the trigger 1 that it may be engaged by a finger of the trigger manipulating hand of the arty using the firearm.

hen the lens holder 5 is drawn rearward by a pull exerted on the ring 22, the effect thereof is to cause the rays or beams of light from the bulb 4 to be dispersed or to illuminate a greater area than is illuminated when Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

theblens is at maximum distance from the bul As diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 4, when the lens has been adjusted into relatively close proximity to the bulb, the area illuminated will be that included between the lines 2526, and as pressure on the pull ring 22 is reduced and the lens holder moved forward by the springs 16, the illuminated area will be gradually decreased or the beams caused to focus upon a particular portion of the initially illuminated area. VVhe-n the lens has reached its extreme forward position, all of the rays will be concentrated upon a relatively small portion, namely, that included between the lines 2728 in Fig. 4.

In using a revolver provided with these improvements, it will be seen that as the grip l is grasped, the switch 11 will be automatically actuated to close the electric circuit through the lamp, and as draft is exerted on the pull ring 22, while the party using the revolver is aiming the same, the area of illumination will first be relatively large, and as the pressure exerted on such pull ring is gradually reduced, the rays will be focused upon a particular portion of such initially illuminated area. This enables the user to first readily locate the object at which he wishes to aim, and as the weapon is brought into proper relation to such object, the beams of light are concentrated or focused directly thereon.

In the embodiment of the invention illus trated, many of the parts are shown more or less conventionally, as it is evident that the improvements are applicable to firearms of other types than the particular one shown in the drawing and that various modifications in detail can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. The combination of a firearm, an electric lamp on the barrel of the firearm, and means adapted to be actuated by the trigger manipulating hand of a person using the firearm, while engaging the trigger, for decreasing and increasing the area illuminated by the lamp and focusing the beams of light upon a particular portion of said area.

2. The combination of a firearm, an electric lamp on the barrel including a suitable bulb and a lens arranged in frontof the bulb, and means extending below the barrel adjacent the trigger, whereby it can be actuated by the trigger manipulating hand while aiming the firearm, adapted to effect relative movement between the bulb and lens for the purpose described,

3. The combination of a firearm, an electric lamp on the barrel including a suitable bulb and a lens arranged in front of the bulb and bodily movable to and from the bulb to vary the area that will be illuminated, means for normally holding the lens at the maximum distance from the bulb, and means, adapted to be actuated by the trigger manipulating hand of a person using the firearm while positioned to operate the trigger, for moving the lens toward the bulb.

1. The combination of a firearm, a casing on the barrel of the firearm, a lamp Within the casing, a lens holder telescopically connected with the forward end of the casing, means, including a spring acting to main tain the lens relatively remote from the lamp, adapted to be engaged by the trigger manipulating hand of a person using the firearm when aiming the latter, for moving the lens in opposition to said spring means.

5. The combination of a pistol, an electric lamp on the pistol barrel, a switch arm controlling the circuit of the lamp positioned to be necessarily actuated by the act of grasping the pistol grip, and means for decreasing and increasing the area illuminated by the lamp controlled by a member arranged adjacent the pistol trigger and adapted to be actuated by the trigger manipulating hand of a person using the pistol while positioned to operate the trigger.

6. The combination of a revolver, an electric lamp on the revolver barrel, and a switch arm controlling the circuit of the lamp and positioned to be actuated as the revolver grip is grasped, said switch arm being laterally movable so as not to obstruct access to the chambers of the revolver when the parts are positioned to permit loading or unloading of the revolver.

7. The combination with a pistol, of an electric lamp carried by the pistol barrel, a lens cooperating with the lamp, and means including a member operable by the trigger manipulating hand of a person operatively grasping the pistol for effecting relative movement between the lens and lamp.

8. An attachment for firearms comprising a casing adapted to be attached to the barrel of a firearm, an electric lamp within the casing, a lens supported by the casing in advance of the lamp, and means, adapted to be actuated by the trigger manipulating hand of a person using the firearm to which the attachment is applied while positioned to operate the trigger, for effecting relative movement between the lamp and lens to vary the area illuminated and to focus the beams of light upon a particular portion of such area.

9. An attachment for firearms comprising a casing provided with means for attaching it to the barrel of a firearm, an electric lamp in said casing, a lens holder telescopically connected with the front end of the casing, and means connected with the lens holder for moving it relative to the lamp including a member that will be positioned adj acent the trigger of the firearm so as to be ILLUMW actuated by the trigger manipulating hand of a person using the firearm when positioned to operate the trigger when the easing is fitted to the barrel thereof.

10. An attachment for firearms comprising a casing provided with means for attaching it to the barrel of a firearm, an electric lamp in said casing, a lens holder telescopically connected with the front end of the casing, rods attached to the lens holder and extending through guides on the casing, coiled springs surrounding the rods between abutments thereon and said guides, and means connected to the lens holder and adapted to be positioned adjacent the trigger of the firearm when the casing is fitted to the barrel thereof for moving the lens holder in opposition to said springs.

11. The combination with a firearm, of a source of illumination, a light projecting lens, means for flashing or extinguishing the light from said source, and means adapted to be actuated by the trigger manipulating hand of a person using the firearm for effecting relative movement between said lens and source during the aiming of the firearm to vary the illuminating area of the light beam.

12. The combination with a firearm, of a source of illumination, a light projecting lens, means acting automatically to maintain said lens and source in predetermined relative positions, and manual means operable by the trigger manipulating hand of a person using the firearm while positioned to actuate the trigger to vary the relative positions of said source and lens, and the area of illumination of the projected light beam.

13. The combination with a firearm, of a source of illumination, a light projecting lens slidingly mounted with respect to said lens, a spring acting to maintain said lens at a predetermined maximum distance from said lens, and manual means operable during the aiming of the firearm to draw said lens toward said light against the pressure of said spring and vary the area of illumination of the projected light beams.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

DOUGLAS WETMORE. 

